Satellite constellation for measuring atmospheric wind speeds using doppler lidar

摘要

A constellation of satellites comprising at least two satellites in the same orbit is used to measure atmospheric wind speeds by means of a spatial wind lidar; each satellite carries a Doppler lidar, with a fixed sight axis. The orbit is a polar or quasi-polar orbit, with an orbital altitude from 350 to 500 km. The sight angles and the distribution of the satellites in the orbit are chosen so that the tracks on the surface of the Earth of the sight axes of the satellites of the constellation are substantially coincident over half of the surface of the Earth and regularly distributed over the other half of the surface of the Earth.